Josh
The lights in the living room turn on all-of-a-sudden.
"Where are you coming from?" She asks.
"Jeez, you scared me."
"Answer my question, Josh."
I untie my tie as I get to my room. "I was at work, Kate. What's up with you?"
"Why were you with Riley?"
"How do you know that?"
She scoffed. "Wow. You won't even deny it."
"I just wanted to warn her about how dangerous Xavier is."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I don't understand what the problem is."
"My problem is you, Josh. How could you meet with the very person who's the reason I was kidnapped in the first place!"
"Kate. You know Riley's a friend of mine. I can't just stand by as she goes through with her wedding preparations to that monster!"
"Do you love her?"
"What?"
"Do...you...love...her, Josh?! Just answer the damn question!"
"You're being ridiculous right now."
Kate hides her face in her hands, exhaling. "Fine. I'm sorry. I just, I don't want you anywhere near her."
"You have nothing to worry about, Kate." I excuse myself to go and freshen up.
When I change into my nightwear, I find Kate on the living room couch.
"Babe, come look at this." I join her on the couch.
She's watching the evening news, and it's surprisingly about the famous Xavier Banks. He's just been arrested for attempted murder. How? I look to my side and put two and two together.
"We're you behind this?"
"Mm hmm. I'm so happy!"
"Kate. You didn't even discuss this with me."
"We'll, I had to take matters into my own hands while you were out entertaining that Riley of yours."
The news reporter goes on to show the video that incriminates Xavier Banks. As a lawyer, I know that that's not sufficient evidence. A phone call isn't enough evidence to prove that Xavier was really behind Kate's kidnapping.
Xavier can pledge that his phone was stolen or come up with a believable excuse. Kate really didn't think this through. I try to make her understand, but she doesn't pay head to me.
The next few days, Kate is called in for questioning as she's the victim. I escort her each time as her lawyer. Like I said, the detectives tell us the same thing over and over that our case may end up just getting closed since the evidence isn't sufficient.
"Aren't you going to say I told you so?" She asks, smirking.
"No."
"Whatever." I continue driving.
"Wait. I still have a trump card to play." She says.
"What's that?" She just smirks.
"You'll see." She makes a few calls.
Later that night, when we're watching the news that has everyone perked up to see what happens next, the reporter announces that new incriminating evidence was found in Xavier Banks's home. It's a burner phone with the kidnapper's call history along with bloody clothes and a knife matching the victim's DNA.
"Kate!"
"Now justice can finally be served." She lazily seeps her wine.
"Don't tell me you planted fake evidence!"
"I did. Why?"
"Are you crazy?!"
"What's crazy is letting him walk around free after what he did to me."
I scoff and try to calm down. "Hold on. Kate, were you even kidnapped in the first place?"
"How, how could you even ask me that?! Just like everyone, we saw that video." Her eyes turn red and glossy.
"Who's to say you didn't fake that video like you've done with that evidence?"
She's taken aback, with tears running down her cheeks.